What is it about digital pinball that fascinates us? Well, that’s a two way street. On the one hand, talented developers have gotten so good at it that it practically replicates being able to stand up to an actual machine. And, honestly, you can’t even find half of the good games anymore, plus it opens the door for original designs.
For the longest time, Zen Studios has perfected this formula with its Zen Pinball and Pinball FX releases. Now we get to the next-gen build of those titles in the plainly named Pinball FX, finally arriving on Xbox Series S/X and PlayStation 5 with most of its signature titles intact. What’s more, they’ve never looked – or played – better than they do here.
There are some hang-ups, like the fact die-hard players have to buy the tables all over again, even if they’ve purchased them previously; not to mention the expensive monthly Pinball Pass that unlocks nearly everything available. But if you like pinball, you will find the investment worthwhile, though it’ll take a bit to gradually build your collection.

Blast From the Past
The wonderful thing about Pinball FX is that there’s no shortage of available tables. Original efforts like Kung Fu Panda, My Little Pony, How To Train Your Dragon and Snoopy will delight the kids; licensed tables from the Star Wars, Marvel and Bethesda universes should tickle fans aplenty; and then there are the Williams arcade table translations, nearly just as good as what Farsight Studios did with them years ago on The Pinball Arcade.
What’s more, there are options galore. You can turn on and off visuals that “enhance” the experience with characters; you can change table views; you can challenge other players via leaderboards; and you can unlock Trophies or Achievements for your collection. There’s also new goodies to unlock for your Avatar, so you can savvy up your sig pic however you see fit.

The pinballs play great, even if the ball does feel a bit heavy at times (compared to The Pinball Arcade); and the lofty list of options will keep you busy for a while. But, again, it would’ve been nice to have an import tool instead of having to purchase everything once more. That could be a bit of a pain for purists. Fortunately, most of the new tables, like Space Station and Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure, are totally worth the investment.
You’ll just need to try them out and see what suits your pleasure. Fortunately, there’s always a couple of free tables to try, in case you don’t feel like buying right away. There’s also a Pinball Pass for a flat fee per month, and it’s not bad, but it can add up compared to just buying the tables.

A Rich Pinball Experience
The tables are emulated very nicely here, with accurate lighting, ray-tracing and various camera views to make it feel as realistic as possible. Some of the original tables are an absolute blast as well, and don’t even get us started on the memories that the classic The Addams Family produced for us. The visuals are completely rich and well done, though the on-field visual characters are an acquired taste. But you can shut them off anytime.
Fans will also enjoy the audio. The tables all have some great effects and voiceovers, and the arcade tables come with all their original effects, including John Rhys-Davies with the Indiana Jones design. And it’s even better with a headset, as it sounds like you’re standing right in front of a machine. Talk about impressive.
Best of all, you’ve got a wide array of tables, something that’s good for every age group. So, no, you don’t need to buy every one, just the ones that appeal to you. I’m sure arcade fans have already snapped up their collection of Williams favorites, and here’s hoping we get more. (Big Guns, if you would…)

Tilt To Your Heart’s Content
Again, some may not favor Pinball FX’s model when it comes to not being able to import over previous purchases and having to pony up for the Pinball Pass. But there’s no denying Zen Studios’ loyalty to the hobby, as it really feels like they put their all into it.
The visuals are rich and filled with nice touches; the gameplay feels just about right, save for some weight adjustment; the options are plentiful; the leaderboards are competitive and well- stocked; and it’s got great sound.
Considering it’s the only real pinball game in town for the moment (unless Farsight picks up its business again), Pinball FX is a good choice. Here’s hoping we see more offerings down the road – and free tables – to continue flipping out over.

The Bottom Line:
Lack of importing aside, Pinball FX gets just about everything right with digital pinball. We could use a few more arcade tables, but what’s here will keep you busy for a good while.